The Ditch Project

Around the front of my yard there is a slope down to a ditch.  No culvert under the driveway or anything, but it does collect some water and of course snow in the Winter.

It's hard to mow that slope and my neighbor quit trying, so some small poplar trees and other wild things are growing there.  I think that gave me the idea that I should add some perennials to that ditch area closest to the driveway and on the slope.  So, I started last year by transplanting a large clump of garden phlox from a friend's yard, a white peony from a friend's yard, a new yellow peony, white phlox (ground cover type) and purple phlox (ground cover type) and have added quite a number of plants this year.

Added this year:  3 White plume grasses, 2 Boomerang Dark Purple Lilac bushes (supposed to bloom Spring & Fall), 3 Prairie Dropseed Grasses, 1 Rapido White Bellflower, 2 Herbstsonne' Conflower (4 foot tall yellow coneflower, very showy), 1 Hocus Pocus Veronica Hybrid, 1 David Garden Phlox (white), 1 Jim Crockett Star Aster, a clump of Siberian Iris, several clumps of Cleome, several clumps of wild Geranium, chives, and a few more that I have forgotten.

It doesn't look like much yet, but I am quite hopeful that next year that area will be a bounty of perennial flowering plants, from Spring into Fall.

It is a work in progress, but next Spring should be fun.

If everything comes back, we'll be on our way to having a showy area here along the ditch.

In my raised bed down below, I planted those crazy and cool Castor Beans.

Also, a bunch of Gladiola bulbs along with a ton of white Morning Glory seeds.

The Gladiolas have suffered.

Finally there are 2 going to bloom, the rest are bound with morning glory vines.

The Castor Beans have gone wild, they are at least 6 feet tall if not more.

I'm thinking they were the inspiration for Jack & The Beanstalk.

Fee Fi Fo Fum...

The Morning Glory seed packets said that they were Angelic White.

Well, they are really deep purple, but no matter.

Having the Castor Bean as support seems to please them.

The Castor Bean is growing a big flower, looks like a SyFy plant.

I ran across this Swallowtail butterfly on the Verbena, making the rounds.

Verbena will definitely be on my list for next year, a butterfly favorite and I like it too.

I have to say, the hops are fabulous this year.

They are practically trying to get into the house.

 These guys give me joy as I walk in and out of the house.

Next Spring I'm planning to root up a bunch of cuttings and add more hops to my yard.

Why not!

I'm kind of tired of all the eclipse coverage.

I'm going to be home, I don't have the special glasses, and I have heard it will probably be cloudy anyway.  I hope all my pals who are traveling to see totality enjoy themselves, protect their retinas and make some lasting memories.

I'll probably take a nap.